Cha very rarely felt she needed to explain herself, but she stuttered over the answer.“I didn’t think that was real.”
“Oh, it wasreal,” he said in such a low, menacing tone that she’d call it a growl from an animal.In truth, he did have a feral glint in his twilight eyes, though his wings remained out of sight.“And I think you know that very well.”He prowled up to her, looming over her even though he wasn’tthatmuch taller, then flicked a glance at Dy.“Madame Goldilocks.Well met, Sorceress.”
Dy inclined her head.“Prince Charming.”
“Oh sure, you useherhandle, but not mine,” Cha muttered.
Azul ignored her.“Would you be so kind as to give me the opportunity to speak with your partner alone?”
Dy raised her brows.“Do you promise not to murder her?”
“Not yet,” he answered, transferring his hard gaze to Cha, his eyes actually seeming to fulminate.His expression promising retribution.“I need a word with her first.After that, I reserve the right to choose the appropriate punishment.”
“Hey now,” Cha said sternly.
They both ignored her.Just great.
“I’ll need a door unlocked,” Dy said cheerfully, as if they hadn’t just been discussing Cha’s potential demise.
“The one across the room,” he said, indicating his head.“There’s an escort waiting for you to arrange to bring Big Betty to the cargo bay where I believe you have arranged to exchange goods in a very unusual ‘trade’ agreement.”His gaze bored in to Cha’s for this last, as if Dy had nothing to do with any of it.
To be fair, this did all rest on Cha’s shoulders.
“I’d offer refreshments, but I assumeyou, at least, have the wit not to eat or drink while in the Citrine realm.”
“Absolutely.”Dy nodded gravely and they exchanged a little wise magic-worker solidarity moment.
“I know that, too,” Cha ground out.“I wouldn’t eat or drink anything here either.”
“Take Katu with you,” Azul told Dy, even giving her a smile, the fucker.“I will have ambrosia sent for him.I’ve already taken care of that for Big Betty.I assume Warg is fine since he eats magic?”
“That’s right and thank you,” Dy said cheerfully.
Had Cha known Warg subsisted on magic?She supposed that made sense, since he was a magic sink—it had to go somewhere—but she probably should have had that higher up in her mind.At the moment, she was mostly annoyed that Azul knew about Big Betty hanging out on the daffodil lawn under the umbrella trees and had taken over their cargo transfer.
Dy clapped her lightly on the shoulder and Cha winced as that hit a bruise, probably from one of those pincers.“If he does kill you, I’ll send your regards to everyone,” Dy said in a bright, friendly tone, her eyes glittering with anger.“We’ll have a nice memorial in which I’ll tell everyone how you brought this on yourself.”
“Gee, thanks,” Cha replied, but she was also absurdly touched at the thought of her friends having a memorial for her.That they’d all complain about her bone-headedness was only fair.She’d never pretended not to be an asshole.“Dy—I truly thought I’d dreamed talking to him in my head.I’ve never… eh.I’ll explain later.”
Dy’s big blues slid to Azul and she shrugged.“I don’t think you have to.Be smart.I’d tell you not to do anything I wouldn’t do, but…”
Cha snickered and Dy grinned.Yeah, they were okay.
Dy and Katu went out the door Azul had indicated.Cha watched them go and turned back to find Azulright there.So close she could close the space between them by simply leaning in.So close that the blazing heat of his body caressed the bare skin of her arms.Or was that his fiery rage?Because he was fully pissed, all right.Now that Dy had gone, he’d dropped all vestige of his smooth courtier’s manners.He burned with anger, lips closed but working as if he chewed on the words he planned to spit at her.She dearly wanted to back up a step—or five—but her pride wouldn’t let her.Besides, even with him pissed, she was absurdly happy to see him again.
Instead, she planted herself, fists on hips, and issued a challenge, blood pumping with excitement… and something more.No one had ever claimed she possessed a good instinct for self-preservation, but she sure loved a thrill.And Azul was as thrilling as it comes.
“All right,” she told him in an even tone she was particularly pleased with herself for producing.No wobbling, stuttering, or squeaking.“Let me have it.”
“Oh, I plan to,” he warned, the words lethally slicing.
Cha braced herself for his righteous fury—ignoring the erotic charge, as that was probably just her personal perversion—assembling her arguments for why she wasn’t (entirely) in the wrong.
In the next moment, those lips were on hers and she was in his arms, immediately dizzy with the crushed berry scent and burning feel of him.Oh, yes, please…
Her body sighed all over and melted, drinking him in as if she were a wilted plant finally setting her roots in water.She’d known she’d missed him, but she’d had no idea how profoundly deprived she’d felt without him.It was as if she’d starved slowly for lack of some obscure vitamin and now health and well-being flowed into her with brilliant vibrancy.She could kiss him forever.
She lost her head entirely, she could admit that.Later.Later, she admitted that.In the moment, however, she forgot all her qualms, her fears, even her aching head and bruised limbs.She fell into touching and being touched, feeling like she was returning to a home she’d never had.Something deep within her that had felt unmoored and brutally alone shifted and settled.